I don't know what it is with dentists, but I get totally freaked out going to a dentist, she said.

The cost also kept her away. She's not alone.

That's why Kirkland dentist Lindsay Barry is offering patients like Danielle a new option called quality dental plan. It s not insurance, per se, but a yearly membership fee.

We wanted to provide our patients who were uninsured with a plan that would allow them to get their dental care at a reasonable price, said Dr. Barry.

Dentists design their own plans and set their own prices based on the going rates for their area.

The package here includes two exams and two cleanings plus discounts on other services. Additional family members get $100 off the basic fee.

If they were to pay it out of pocket, it would probably be double to three times what they're paying for their membership for the year, said Dr. Barry.

Not to mention the savings resulting from early detection.

If people will come in early for their dental care, we can really catch things early on, like small cavities early on, catch oral cancer early on, we can really diagnose things before they get out of control, said Dr. Barry.

So patients don't end up like Danielle - avoiding the dentist and then ignoring problems.

Dentists say they can offer patients these discounted plans because they don't have to deal with the overhead costs and hassles of insurance.